Has your dog started to:

Stand around in a daze? Act kind of confused? Appear to be startled for no reason? Pace a lot - especially at night?

Perhaps they've started to act forgetful - asking to go outside and not doing anything when they get there? Go in and out? Forget their manners or training? Or even begun weeing and pooing in the house?

What about sleeping a lot more than they used to? Not being as curious and interactive as they used to be?

These are well-known signs of cognitive decline (aka doggy dementia). But this kind of disturbed geriatric behaviour can be helped - by supplementing the diet. And if your dog hasn't begun showing these signs yet, but is getting older, you may want to consider supplementing the diet, to help support brain health as they age.

Our research-based, vet-formulated daily health jellies, support your dog’s health, from pup to senior, right from your own kitchen. Here's a summary of the research The Einstein is based on.

Our first research study involved 48 old and 17 young beagle dogs. Earlier research had established that dogs show marked age-dependent decline in learning and memory, and that the pattern of cognitive decline mirrors that seen in humans in several respects. Aged dogs also develop neuropathology that is similar to that seen in both successfully ageing humans and patients with Alzheimer’s disease.

In this study, researchers wanted to obtain longitudinal data of age-dependent decline in learning ability. They also wanted to assess the effectiveness of two interventions in counter acting age-dependent decline: behavioural enrichment and a maintenance food fortified with a broad spectrum of antioxidants and mitochondrial cofactors.

What they found

The study showed that both discrimination and reversal learning ability decline progressively with advanced age in beagle dogs, but that the rate of decline can be delayed by both behavioural enrichment and antioxidant supplementation. Possibly the most important outcome of this study was the demonstration that the behavioural enrichment and the antioxidant supplementation condition combined were more effective than either alone.

Dietary fortification had significant beneficial effects after a short time frame among animals provided with behavioural enrichment, but the fortified food on its own, remains an effective therapeutic after two years of treatment. It’s worth noting that The Einstein also includes ginkgo, the use of which is based on another research study. However, given the importance of enrichment activities noted here, we will provide a guide to simple enrichment activities, on our blog.

Milgram, N.W. & Head, Elizabeth & Zicker, S.C. & Ikeda-Douglas, H Murphey, B Muggenburg, B & Siwak, C & Tapp, Philip & Cotman, C.W.. (2005). Learning ability in aged beagle dogs is preserved by behavioral enrichment and dietary fortification: A two-year longitudinal study. Neurobiology of aging. 26. 77-90. 10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2004.02.014.

In an open clinical trial conducted in 10 veterinary practices, ginkgo leaf extract was administered as a dietary supplement to 42 elderly dogs (mean age 11.4 years) for 8 weeks. Geriatric behavioural changes were classified by the following assessment scores: orientation in home and yard, social interactions, housetraining, and sleep-wake cycles.

What they found

In dogs with a history of geriatric behavioural disturbances a positive effect was apparent after four weeks and significantly reduced after eight weeks of treatment. 36% of the dogs were completely free of clinical signs by the end of the study, and for 79% of dogs, overall efficacy was judged as good or very good. It’s worth noting that improvement in slow age-related deteriorations are unlikely to occur without effective treatment.

Why ginkgo?

Researchers hypothesised that ginkgo would be effective for elderly dogs because of the extract has proven effective in human medicine for the symptomatic treatment of cerebral insufficiency, peripheral arterial occlusive disease and disturbances of vestibular origin.

One primary indication is the symptomatic treatment of a mild to moderate cognitive performance disorder that relates to impaired peripheral and cerebral blood circulation, in an elderly population. This geriatric condition is characterized by impairments of, among others, attention, working memory, short term memory, complex reaction times and related social behaviour.

Reichling, J & Frater-Schröder, M & Herzog, K & Bucher, Stephan & Saller, Reinhard. (2006). Reduction of behavioural disturbances in elderly dogs supplemented with a standardised Ginkgo leaf extract. Schweizer Archiv für Tierheilkunde. 148. 257-63. 10.1024/0036-7281.148.5.257.

Holistic vet, Dr Kathy Cornack, is the vet behind our bestie health jelly formulations, and assessment quiz.

Dr Cornack's work on our bestie health jelly formulations draws on her 35 years in complementary medicine for dogs, cats and other small animals, and a range of peer-reviewed scientific research papers into the effect of functional and nutraceutical supplements for dogs.

Dr Cornack BVSc (hons), MANZCVS (Veterinary Behaviour), M.Agr. Sc (Animal Nutrition), Cert. Vet. acupuncture (IVAS) is still practising as a registered vet working primarily in clinical small animal practice. These days her work is exclusively with clients choosing natural (integrative) medicine as part of their treatment protocols, as well as in referral behavioural practice. Dr Cornack is a founding member and current President of the Integrated Vets Australia group. (IVA is a special interest group of the Australian Veterinary Association, for vets with a special interest in complementary/ holistic/ natural/ integrative veterinary medicine.)